Westvleteren 12
To understand why Westvleteren is considered the world's most sought-after beer, one must understand the history of the Trappists. The monastic movement, which demanded a life of hard work, self-sustainability, and piety, lead to the creation of the Benedictine order in the 6th Century, in Italy. However, by the early 12th Century, it had been found, by some, to have strayed too far from its original edicts, and a reform movement was created. This gave us the Cistercians. By the 18th Century, this, too, had been found, by some, to no longer adhere to the teachings of St. Benedict, and a splinter group was set up in La Trappe, France. As you can guess, these were the Trappists. They were, by far, a group of monks for whom the simplest, most cloistered existence was most fully observed. While some of the other famous beer-producing, Trappist monasteries have embraced modernity much more fully, especially in regards to their beer-making endeavours, the Abbey of St. Sixtus continues to hold on to a more modest, humble way of doing things. Shortly after World War 2, they got rid of a truck they had used to deliver beer to the local cafés, in an effort to dissuade people from drinking, as they thought too much time had been spent thinking about beer, and not enough praying. They even ceased commercial beer-making operations themselves, and the brewery of St. Bernardus, in nearby Watou, took over for them. However, in 1992, due to the proliferation of use of the term "Trappist" by many non-Trappist brewers, laws were created that required certain conditions be met to receive that designation. The brewing returned to the Abbey of St. Sixtus, as a result. However, they continued to sell their beer modestly, at the entrance of their abbey. It wasn't until their roof became severely damaged that they were compelled to make the beer more accessible, as repairs were going to be very costly. So, in 2011, Westvleteren beers were finally available for purchase in places far from the abbey grounds. They now have an annual release of their beer throughout the world. That is not to say they have become a money-driven venture. They still only produce around 126,000 gallons of beer a year. In comparison, Chimy produces over 3.2 million gallons. It would be easy to say that the popularity of this beer is simply down to the difficulty of obtaining it (and there is certainly a kernel of truth in that), but there truly is something special in that bottle. This is an age-worthy beer, that intensifies and sweetens with age, and can be put away for decades. The carbonation and hops flavours will disappear, resulting in something more akin to port or sherry. Aromas: Fresh figs and dates, dried fruit, tobacco, leather, clove, and cinnamon. Appearance: Deep mahogany, with a creamy off-white head. Flavour: Dried fruit, cherries, molasses, bread, caramel, and smoke. Finishes with a long, dry complexity. Mouthfeel: Silky, but full-bodied with fine carbonation. A cognac-like alcohol warmth. '''Food Pairing: '''Stilton, bread pudding, stewed or braised meats, smoked meats, roasted game.